Automatic tire inflater



Aug. 20, 1940. c. w. PARKER A AUTOMATIQ TIRE INFLATEH 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 1 5. i957 Aug. 20, 1940.

c. w. ,PARKER ApToMATIC TIRE INFLATER Fil-ed Das.4 15', 1937 -v2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. zo, 1940-` UNITED STATES PATENT IoFFlcle:

AUTOMATIC TELE INFIATER Clark W. Parker, Dobbs Ferry, N. Y.

Application December 15, 1937, Serial No. 179,835

10Claims.

This invention has reference to means or mechanism by which a pneumatic tire may be inilated, or kept inflated, or restored to its nor.- mal inated condition after it has become deflated, or has been at rest, or the car or tire has been out of use for any period; and particularly my invention relates to a means carried by a hub-cap of an automobile of most modern types, shape or conguration, whereby the foregoing results are accomplished automatically,

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, it may be stated that such modern, roomy hub-caps may be utilized and, primarily, the invention includes a means, such as a pump. automatically operated while the car is traveling or the wheels are turning, which provides the air for iniiating the tire of the pneumatic type. Additionally, my invention provides means by which a check-valve is combined with the pump directionally and prevents the air from regurgitating or iiowing in a reverse direction in any degreeso that the tire maybe inflated, or the air thereof be replenished when required from time to time, or the air thereof is held from leaking in any event. My invention also includes a relief valve by means of which the excess of air, which may be forced into the tire during the running of the caror the wheel, can be eliminated or can be relieved or exhausted or allowed to escape, so that the inflation of the tire will be held at normal or at maximum, or the tire can be restored to the proper condition, r regulated or maintained at a given number of pounds to the square Iso which is held by the tire may be tested for experimental or other purposes; and all the foregoing mechanism is contained within the conilnes of the hub-cap of the wheel, so that it may be demounted from the wheel at any time, and

so that it may be protected by the hub-cap, and

in orde'r that the various parts may be readily accessible or reachedat any predetermined time. Among the objects of my invention may be noted the following: to provide a pump which and which insures the driving of the air uniinch, according tothe size or character of the constantly operates to inilate the tire during during the operation of the pump; to provide means by which the air thus pumped and checked may be automatically conveyed directly to the usual inner tube of a pneumatic tire; to provide an escape valve so combined with the other devices that an excess of air will be allowed to Aescape and still the pressure within the tire 5 4may be maintained at normal, or the amount of air per square linch may be regulated or determined; to provide means, in combination with the other mechanism which will enable a. test of pressure to be made and ascertained at any prel0 determined time while the car or wheel is inactive; and to provide all these means and mechanisms in the ordinary hub-cap where they will be out of sight, protected from grit, sand, mud' and other means of clogging or soiling the same, 15 save only vthe few parts. presently described, which are necessarily exposed outside the hubcab in order that certain of the objects or requirements above noted may be attained, and the hub-cap and parts carried thereby may be- 20 readily demounted. t

With the above objects in view and others which will be detailed during the course of this description, my invention consists in the parts,

features, elements and combinations thereof 25 I hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have provided drawingswherein Fig. 1 is a'n elevational view, partly in section, of a portion of a conventional hub-cap and wheel 80 having my tire iniiater applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing various parts of my apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a view. showing in sectional elevation the cup-washer and expander therefor carried $5 by the piston;

Fig. 4 is a view, showing, in sectional elevation, detailsof the crank-pin for actuating the pump-piston:

Fig. 5 is a view showing, in sectional eleva- 40 tion, certain details of my invention as viewed from the left of Fig. 1, the section being taken approximately on the line 5-5 of said figure, the

' arrows indicating the direction oi.' sight;

Fig. 6 is an emerged view showing the details 45 of the escape-valve, gaging valve and coupling connection of the iniiater, the View being in sectional elevation; c

Fig. 'l is a face view showing the detailsof the cam or eccentric in combination with the )weight by means of which the pump is actuated, parts being broken away due to the limitations of the sheet;

Fig. 8' is a perspective view lof the piston- 55 pf the escape- `shcwvi g an abundance of room for the inilater.

The ca` 4 is sprung onto the outside of said fingers 2, and on them it fits' andis tightly. lheld in the usual way. The cap 4 rotates with the wheel and drives the inilater, as will be readily seen from the following description. It should be noted, primarily, that my inilater can be applied to the hub-cap of most vautomobileabecause the average car has a bulged or rounded hub-cap adaptingmy structure to be readily appliedthereto. This is important from the com-. merciai standpoint, as can be readily seen.

Mounted centrally on the inside of the hubcap is a housing o r hollow cylindricarconstruction 6. such as shown in Figure' 8, and this housing or cylinder is provided with an integral supp or casting; 1, having two oppositely extendin ears 3 in the same plane, in which ears are apertures 9. 'Ihe casting 1 is provided with a journal-pin I Il, extending at a right-angle there- Ito on the side opposite the ears and said pin 'has an aperture through it to receives. cotter pin II for a purpose presently described. The housing 6 is made hollow from end-to-end, 'as at` I2, and

beyond the support 1 is provided with parallel slots I3, the edges of which are out-turned to provide accentuated guiding'meinbers I4. At a `predetermined point the housing 6" is provided with a plurality of circularly arranged apertures I5. The housing 6 is held in place in the cap 4, by screw-bolts I6, passing through the cap from the outside and the apertures 9 of the ears 8. The bolts I5 are held by nuts I1, screwed thereon. The cap 4 on its inside is provided with any angular formation I3, to receive the casting 1, similarly formed, so that it will surely turn without play together with the cap. Within the-housing the piston I9 slides freely, guided by the cross-heads 26 directly by the slots I3 and members I4. Projecting fromv one side of the cross-head is a crank-pin 2| entering a ballbearing structure 22, which travels in an eccentric groove 23 formed in adisk 24, having a massive weight 25 carried thereby. The disk 24 is journaled eccentrically on pin I0, the ball-bearing 22x being mounted on said pin to provide for smooth and approximately frictionless bearing for running within the hub of the cam. This structure enables the disk and weight to hang pendent on the pin I0 enabling the two to have only a slight vibration on the journal pin I0. At its closed end the housing is provided with a reduced, hollow portion 26, carrying a checkvalve structure shown in detail in Figure 2. 'I'herein it will be seen that the closed end of the housing has an aperture 21 in which is seated a thick, perforated rubber disk 28v aording a valve-seat for a ball-valve 29, located within a ring 30, bearing at one end on the valve-seat and having at the other end a spring 3| which forces the ring rmly upon the valve-seat and 'of a flexible tube 34.

holds the latter from being displaced to avoid leaking. A spring'32 within the ring engages the`ball 29, and the whole structure is leveled by a washer 33, which bears upon the flared end Placed upon this valve structure and holding together all the parts just described, is a screw-threaded cap which may be tightened toany extent desired.

The piston I9 is provided at its head-endwith a threaded passagel36 therethrough. At this end oi' the piston a perforated cup-washer 31 is applied and within this washer is placed` a perforated expanding cup 33 or device, having a circular series of spring lingers 39. The washer and expander are held together by the iianged head of a screw 43, threaded into the passage 36, and driven ilrmly against the washer 31 andv Carried by the hub-cap just4 back of the rim 3, is a chambered, elongated casting 4I shown in detail in.. Figure 10, having an externally threaded inwardly projecting teat 42 to which the flexible tube 34 is connected by its outer flared end, said tube-end being held by a screwthreaded cap 43. 'I'his casting has the elongated chamber 45 at one end oi' which is the escape-valve and at the other end the gagevalve. The casting isheld in place by aneularged stem 46 extending through the hub-cap 4, and is` held, by the nut 41 and enlargement 48, rigid y in place.

The e ape-valve consists of a chamber 43 extending under a support 55, having passage 5I, on which is mounted a perforated, rubber valveseat 52, cooperating with a flanged valve 53, having anoutwardly extending, elongated stem 54. 'I'hese parts are contained within a circular outwardly extending chamber 55, containing a ring 56 surrounding the valve and having a spring 51, bearing thereon. A spring 58 also bears on the head of the valve within the circumference of the ring and has its other end held by a coil 59 ofthe spring in a groove 60 in the bottom of an externally threaded nut, 6I. The spring 51 holds the ring 56 against the valve-seat 52 preventing `it from being displaced, and the. spring-58 holds the valve 53 upon its seat. The nut 6I 'has a guiding passage centrally thereof for the stem 54 of the valve, the excess air entering the chamber 45 and passing successively through the passage 5I, the valve-seat, lifting the valve`53 and escaping around the elongated stem 54 and through thepassage in the nut. The valve head has the circular ange 63, which firmly bites into the seat 52, and surrounds the passage therethrough. Any air, backing into chamber 45, will have a tendency to unseat the valve 53 and escape around its stem; but, the structure is such as to -hold any ordinary or tire pressure and can be regulated to open under any desired pressure in .the tire. By turning the nut 6I, pressure can be regulated on both springs 51 and 53, holding the valve-seat and the valve, and regulating the air pressure.

The opposite end of the casting 4I has the gage-valve 64, mounted therein, its chamber 55 communicating with the chamber 45, so that at any time desired the pressure in the tire can be ascertained. 'I'his is a standard structure and operates in the usual way; that is to say, when a reading is desired the cap 66 is removed and a gage-device is applied which will depress the stem 61 enabling a. reading to be taken, the air in the chamber 45 entering themvalve-body when the stem 61 is depressed.

From the enlarged projection 46 extendsvan integral stem the circumference of which is ta.- pered and armored, as at 68, so that it may frictionally engage the tubing 69 of the stem, and the opposite end of the stem is reversely armored as at 1U to enable it to grip the tubing and this outer end is provided with a circular flange 1I, on which is seated a leather washer 12. Above the Washer the stem is extended and closed, as at 13, but laterally is provided with a small aperture 14. Under the flange 1I is held an internally threaded socket into which the tire-valve stem 16, shown in dotted lines, is fastened. 'I'he closed end 13 of the stem operates to contact and open the valve 16 of the tirevalve. Surrounding the tubing 69 isa tubularwire armor 11 which enables the tubing to flex, but which protects the same from wear and tear.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my apparatus has an entirely novel operation, viz: that the weight and the cam have a short oscillationl as the wheel and hub-cap turn which latter cause reciprocation of the piston I9 within the housing 6. The hub-cap 4 is fixed to the wheel and in its rotation will drive the housing with it and thus cause the piston to be reciprocated within the housing under the control of the cam and weight which remain approximately stationary. This new mode of operation provides for Athe constant pumping of the piston within the housing under the control of the hubcap and itsmovement, butlguided by thestationary cam and weight.` This action continues as long as the wheel and itsvghub-cap are in operation and regardless of the direction of rotationand regardless of the amount of air which may be pumped by the piston and its housing. It will be seen that i1.v the air, pumped into the tire, is in excess of that required for holding its inflation normal, or at regulated pressure, the excess will be allowed 4to automatically escape through the escape-valve mechanism of Figure.

6 and its connection. At any time the car is brought to a standstill, if'it is desired, the

amount of air pressure within the tireA can be tested or gaged by merely applying an ordinary air gage to the xture at 64, 'by removing the cap 66 which is screwed into place and provided with'means such as the valve and cap to prevent it from escapage. The connection between the tire-valve and the stem 68, is provided to prevent ravages thereon during operation; and at itsI opposite ends the wire structure 11, is compressed and buried within the rubber tube, which also binds the two opposite ends to the respective stem structures.

In Fig. 7 I have shown the travel of the crankpin 2| in the eccentric groove 23 of the disk 24 and the arrowed line A indicates between the pin 2| and the journal pin I0 the amount of reciprocation which the piston will have during the rotation of the hub-cap and housing 6. The arrowed line B indicates the amount of angular travel between the pin 2l and the journal pin i0 indicating the amount of `vibration given the eccentric and `its weight. Asthe piston isv reciprocated within the housing 6, its head passes the apertures I5 in the housing, thus forcing the air past the ba1l29 of the check valve, when movement of the piston at one time and at another time causing the air to be driven with great force through the check-valve structure.

The ball bearings surrounding the journal pin' lll and the crank-pin 2l provide for ease of action, quietude in operation, and eliminating wear on the various parts. The piston is bored for the purpose of giving lightness. f

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination with the hub-cap of an automobile wheel, a pump housing carried by said cap, an eccentric and weight journaled on the housing, a piston included in the pump mechanism, and the eccentric for actuating the same carried by the weight.

2. In combination with a hub cap of an automobile wheel, a pump housing having a piston working therein, means vfor supporting the housing on the hub cap for vrotation therewith, a weight pivotally mounted on said pump housing and having a cam slot formed therein whichis eccentric with respect to the hub cap center, and means operating in said cam slot for actuating said piston in said pump housing.

Zi.` In combination with a detachable hub cap of an automobilewheel, a pump housing carried by said cap, a weight journaled on the housing, a piston included in thepump mechanism, an eccentrically mounted cam slot formed inv said weight, and a roller operating in said cam slot for actuating said piston.

4. In combination with a standard hub cap of an automobile wheel, a pumping mechanism, means for securing said pumping mechanism in a position adjacent to the inner face of said hub cap, an eccentric mounted on the pumping mechanism, and a depending pivotally supported weight having a complemental portion engaging said eccentric.

5. In combination with an automobile wheel, a tireinflating mechanism including a pump having a piston working therein, a weight pivotally means for pivotally supporting said reaction weight,.a.nd an eccentric for actuating the piston, said eccentric rotatively engaging said weight.

'7. A motor vehicle tire inflater comprising a pump mechanism including a casing having a piston working therein, supporting means for said pump mechanism having means for removable attachment to a portion of a vehicle Wheel in such manner as to rotatively travel therewith, means for pivotally supporting a freev swinging reaction weight adjacent to said pump casing, and an eccentric connected with said piston and rotatively mounted in said weight in such manner as to react against the latter during said travel of the pump mechanism.

8. A motor vehicle tire inater comprising a pump mechanism including a casing having a piston working therein, supporting means for said pump mechanism having means for attachment to a portion of a vehicle wheel in such manner as to rotatively travel therewith, a free swinging reaction Weight mounted adjacent said ment to a portion of a vehicle wheel in such manner as to rotativeiy travel therewith, e. freely swinging reaction weight pivotally supported by said pump mechanism, an eccentric rotative- 1y supported by said weight, and means connecting the eccentric with said piston in such manner as to reciprocate the piston during said travel of the pump mechanism.

10. A motor vehicle tire inilater comprising a pump mechanism including a casing having a piston working thereon, supporting means for said pump mechanism having means for attachment -to a portion of a vehicle wheel in auch manner as to rotatively travel therewith. said supporting means including a pivot member, a

. free swinging reaction weight supported by said pivot member. an eccentric rotatively mounted in said weight in such manner as to react against the latter during said travel of the pump mechanism, and means connecting the eccentric and the weight'.

' CLARKNV. PARKER. 

